East African Breweries PLC (EABL) has appointed Justin Mollel as Group Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director Designate, with the transition structured across two dates: Mollel assumes the designate role on 1 May 2026 before formally succeeding to the position on 1 July 2026.
He replaces Risper Genga, who steps down on 30 June 2026 after leading the group’s finance function through a turbulent period marked by post-pandemic volume recovery and persistent macroeconomic headwinds across East Africa.
A Career Built Across Diageo’s African Network
Mollel joins from Diageo Ireland, where he served as Finance Director. His path to that role ran through two of Diageo’s African subsidiaries — Guinness Ghana Breweries and Serengeti Breweries in Tanzania — giving him direct operational experience in the markets EABL serves.
A Tanzanian national and Certified Public Accountant, Mollel holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Dar es Salaam. He brings more than 15 years of finance and strategy experience within the Diageo group, spanning financial reporting, business performance management, risk management, and audit oversight.
Genga Passes the Baton
Outgoing CFO Risper Genga struck a warm and confident tone in her farewell remarks.
“It is my absolute pleasure to be passing on the baton to one of East Africa’s — and indeed Africa’s — finest leaders,” she said. “Having worked with Justin during my tenure, I know he is the right person to lead finance into the future. He is a leader of high integrity, strong values and a passion for people.”
Genga closed with a quote from the American journalist and political commentator Walter Lippmann: “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.”
Mollel’s Own Words
In a statement, Mollel pointed to a track record built on disciplined planning and team development.
“Over the course of my career, I have delivered profitable business growth strategies through effective business planning, insightful forecasting, and continuous process improvement,” he said, adding that he places particular emphasis on combining an understanding of individual strengths with overall team dynamics to drive performance.
